I missed Trainfest this year. Does anyone have any news or impressions of the show they can share?
A new management regime was in place for this year's Trainfest and they tried some things -- asking operating layouts if they'd allow young kids to run the trains, putting together a large number of volunteers to help kids assemble depot kits donated by Walthers at a Make and Take; encouraging smaller "basement" manufacturers to exhibit; having so many operating layouts that a second building was required; including large scale (the size normally thought of as "live steam" size) model trains to actively participate and run their trains on the show floor; placing a greater emphasis on clinics for modelers.
All in all Trainfest seemed well attended particularly on Saturday and in spite of some concerns the "second building" seemed pretty well attended too, although perhaps less so by families with kids. There was a free shuttle bus between buildings but it was a short and fairly pleasant walk. I enjoyed seeing a clinic from Kam Konnect and visiting City Classics at their exhibit. Kalmbach was showing the Olympia Logging project layout recently featured on MR VideoPlus and I enjoyed visiting with David Popp about various features of this beautiful layout, in particular the sector plate.
I don't pay all that much attention to new product accouncements so I will leave that to the MR staff. Amazing I did not purchase a single piece of rolling stock although I was sorely tempted by a Tangent covered hopper painted for Dow.
Dave Nelson
Video review ....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V94wbuFMRs#t=280
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ